Tubing catching apparatus



June 17, 1958 v. YORK 2,839,145

TUBING CATCHING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 12, 1954 BY HIS HTTORNEYS. HA fee/s, K/ECH, POSTE/ea HnRR/s 2,839,145 TUBING CATCHING APPARATUS Victor York, Whittier, Calif. Application August 12, 1954, Serial No. 449,302 6 claims. (c1. 16s-209) The present invention relates in general to a tubing catching apparatus, such apparatus nding particular utility in the oil industry as a safety device for catching a tubing string in an oil well should it start to fall in the well for any reason. As a matter of convenience, the invention will be considered in such connection herein.

As disclosed in detail in my Patent No. 2,127,900, issued August 23, 1938, a tubing catching apparatus of the character referred to includes a tubing catcher means which is mounted on a tubing string set in a well casing and which includes a tubing catcher body provided with upwardly diverging guides, jaws or slips movable along the guides, and an inertia member connected to the jaws for moving them upwardly and outwardly along the guides and into engagement with the well casing in response to a sudden downward movement of the tubing string. The tubing catcher means thus prevents the tubing string from dropping in the well in the event of a break in the tubing string above the tubing catcher means, or in the event of deliberate or inadvertent release of the tubing string at the surface, the tubing catcher means preferably being located near the lower end of the tubing string. t

A primary object of the invention is to provide a tubing catching apparatus of the foregoing character having a lost-motion -connection between the tubing catcher means and the tubing string which permits limited relative movement of the tubing catcher means and the tubing string in the vertical direction. Specically, the tubing catcher or tubing catching apparatus of the invention includes a tubing section which is connectible in the tubing string and which extends through the tubing catcher means with a vertical lost-motion connection therebetween, i. e., with a vertical lost-motion connection between such tubing section and the body of the tubing catcher.

More particularly, an object of the invention is to provide a lost-motion connection between the tubing section which carries the body of the tubing catcher means and the tubing catcher body, comprising interengageable annular shoulders on the tubing section and the tubing catcher body, such lost-motion connection preferably including a collar on the tubing section which is disposed in a bore in the tubing catcher body and which is engageable with annular shoulders at the ends of such bore.

Another object is to provide means for transmitting rotation of the tubing section of the tubing catcher to the tubing catcher body, such rotation transmitting means preferably including a lug on the tubing section which is disposed in a vertical slot in the tubing catcher body.

The foregoing tubing catching apparatus of the invention has a number of advantages. For example, in the event that the tubiing catcher means tends to stick in the well casing after actuation thereof, which is frequently the case, the vertical lost-motin connection between the tubing string and the tubing catcher means permits jarring the tubing catcher means loose. This is accomplished by lowering the tubing string until the tubing section of the apparatus is at the lower limit of its travel relative to the tubing catcher means and then pulling upwardly on the tubing section abruptly so as to produce an impact United States Patent force tending to jar the tubing catcher means loose when *ice the tubing section reaches the upper end of its travel relative to the tubing catcher means. Thus, the tubing catcher means may be released from the well casing readily, which is an important feature of the invention.

The provision of the rotation transmitting means between the tubing section of the tubing catching apparatus and the tubing catcher means itself also permits torque to be applied to the tubing catcher means, as well as impact forces, to assist in releasing the tubing catcher means, which is another feature of the invention.

Another advantage of the tubing catching apparatus of the invention is that, in the event that the tubing catcher means is purposely set in the well casing to support a tubing string, the loss-motion connection between the tubingstring and the tubing catcher means compensates for any inaccuracies in setting the tubing catcher means, in that the tubing string may be shifted vertically through a limited range to set it in any desired vertical position in such range even if the tubing catcher means is already set. Also, the lost-motion connection compensates for tubing string expansion or contraction with temperature changes when the tubing catching apparatus is used in this manner, tubing string expansion resulting, for example, from the introduction of oil into the tubing string from the producing formation, such oil frequently being at a relatively high temperature. More specifically, after the tubing catcher means is set, the tubing may be pulled up as far as the lost-motion connection permits and may then be set, whereupon the tubing may expand downwardly a substantial distance, due to temperature increases, for example, without resting on the tubing catcher means, which keeps the tubing straight and prevents tubing and sucker rod wear.

The foregoing objects, advantages and features of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages and features thereof which will become apparent, may be attained with the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated in the singlegure of the accompanying drawing and described in detail hereinafter.

Referring to the single figure of the drawing, which is partly in vertical section and partly in elevation, the numeral 1i) designates a well casing in which is inserted a tubing string 12 shown as including tubing sections 14, 16 and 13, the tubing sections 14 and 16 being interconnected by a coupling 20 and the tubing sections 16 and 18 being interconnected by a coupling 22. The tubing section 16 forms part of a tubing catcher or tubing catching apparatus 24 of the invention which includes a tubing catcher means 26 through which the tubing section 16 extends.

The tubing catches means 26 is similar to that disclosed in my aforementioned patent so that only a brief description herein is required. The tubing catcher means 26 includes a tubing catcher body 2S provided with upwardly diverging guides 30 for jaws or slips 32 which are movable along such guides and which are engageable with the casing 10 as shown, The jaws 32 are connected, as by pivoted links 34, to an inertia member 36 which is supported by a compression spring 38 seated on the coupling 22. In the operation of the tubing catcher means 26, any sudden dropping of the tubing string 12 and the tubing catcher body 2S in the well casing 10 results in upward movement of the jaws 32, relative to the body 23, into engagement with the casing to interrupt such dropping, such upward movement of the jaws being produced by the inertia member 36 and the spring 38 as more fully discussed in my aforementioned patent. 0rdinarily, as disclosed in my aforementioned patent, vthe tubing string 12 is connected directly to the tubing catcher body 2S so that any tendency of the tubing-string to drop, either through breakage, or inadvertent or deliberate Vcatcher means 26, this can be to the tubing catcher body a sleeve 46'threaded into the upper end of the counterbore 44 and forming part of the tubing catcher body, an annular retainer 4S for preventing upward movement of the jaws 32 out of the'guides 30 being threaded onto the sleeve 46. The counterbore 44 is closed at its lower end by an annular shoulder 50 and is closed at its upper end by an annular shoulder 52 formed by the inner end of the sleeve 46. Disposed within the counterbore 44 between the shoulders 50 and fixed on the tubing section 16, wise. The length of the collar 54 is less than the distance between the shoulders 50 and 52 so that limited vertical movement between the tubing section 16 and the tubing catcher body may take place, such relative movement being limited by engagement of the collar 54 with the shoulder 50, or the shoulder. 52. Relative rotation between the tubing catcher body 2S and the tubing section 16 is prevented by a rotation transmitting means shown as comprising a lug 56 on'the tubing section 16 disposed lin a verticalV slot 58 inthe sleeve 46, two or more such lugs and slots being employed if desired.

In operation, whenV the tubing string 12 is lowered into the casing 10,the weight of the tubing catcher means 26 is supported by the spring 3S,l at least in part, so that the spring is compressed, part of the weight o f the inertia member 36 being supported by the jaws 32, which are in engagement with the lower ends of the guides 30 under such conditions. The weight of the tubing catcher body 28, and thus part of the weight of the inertia member 36, is carried by the collar 54 on the tubing section 16, the shoulder 52 being seated on the'collar 54 under such conditions. Y

With the foregoing conditions obtaining, ifV the tubing string 12 drops suddenly, either through breakage above the tubing catcher means 26, or through inadvertent or intentional release of the tubing string, the collar 54 diseugages the shoulder 52 and engages the shoulderSQ, thereby causing the tubing Vcatcher body 28 to drop suddenly also. gether with the upward force applied thereto by the spring 38,"tends to cause the inertia member 36 to remain stationary while the tubing lcatcher body drops, thereby causing the jaws 32 to move upwardly along the as by welding, or otherguides 30 and outwardly into engagement with the casing 10 to catch the tubing string. The lost-motion connection between the tubing section 16 and the tubing catcher body 28 plays a role in setting the tubing catcher means 26 in that the collar 54 strikes the shoulder 5t) with an impact'that causes the tubing catcher vbody 2S to start to move downwardly much more abruptly than it would if.it`were rigidly connected to the tubing string 12, thereby insuring much more eifective setting of the tubing catcher means because the full inertia effect of the inertia member 36 is thereby attained, which is a feature of the invention.

When it is subsequently desired to release the tubing donevery easily by pulling upwardly on the tubing section 16, either by 'pulling upwardly'on the tubing string'12,

tion 16. As a result of such upward movement of the` tubing section 16, the V'collar S4 strikes the shoulder 52, thereby producing a jarring effect which facilitates loosening of the tubing catchermeans 26, thereby making re-' 52 is a collar 54 which is The'inertia of the inertia member 36,' toor by means'ofa Iish, not shown, engaging the tubing string 12, or the tubing secmoval of the tubing catcher a much easier job. If desired, torque may be applied to the tubing catcher means 26 during the releasing operation also, this being permitted by the vrotation transmitting connection between the tubing section 16 and the `tubing catcher body 28 provided by the lug 576 and the s1ot158.

VIn additionto facilitating release of the-tubing catcher means 26 in the manner hereinbefore described, the lostmotion connectionV between the tubing section 16-and the tubing catcher body 28, also compensates for Aexpansion and contraction of the tubing string 12 because of temperature or other effectsgas hereinbefore discussed.`

Although I have disclosed an exemplary embodiment of my invention hereinl for illustrative purposes, it will be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiment without departing from the iined by the claims which follow. I claim as my invention:

l. In a tubing-"catching apparatus, theicombination of:

av tubingV catcher body; 'outwardly movable .jaws carried by said tubingcatcher body; inertia means connectedto said jawsv and vertically movablerelative to said .tubing catcher body `for movingV said jaws outwardly relative to said tubing catcher body in response to suddendownward movement of said tubing catcher body; a tubing section extending throughsaid tubing catcher body and through said inertia means andY connectible in aV tubing string;v and a lost-motion connection between said tubing4 section and said tubing catcher body permitting limited relative longitudinal movement while preventing relative rotation therebetween, said inertia meanscomprising a relatively heavy*massfguided'solely byr'said tubing section.

2. In a tubing catching apparatus, the combination of: f

a tubing catcher means including .a tubing `catcher body provided with upwardly diverging along said guides, and an inertia member connected to said jaws and movable vertically relative to saidtubing catcher body Vfor; moving said jaws upwardly and outwardly along saidV guides relative to said tubingV catcherl body in response to a'sudden downwardmovementof said tubing catcher body; la tubing section extending through said tubing catcher means fand connectible in a tubing string; and a lost-motionV connection betweenfsaid tubing section and said tubing' catcherebodypermitting limited relative longitudinal movement while preventing relative rotation able annular shoulders'o'nvsaid tubingsection and said tubing catcher body.

4. A tubing'catching 'apparatus :as defined in claim.`2

wherein said lost-motion connection includes ak collanoI said tubing .section Vdisposed in a bore in saidtubing catcher' body and engageable with shoulders at the ends thereof. v 5. A tubing catching apparatus as delined infclaim ,Y2 wherein said means preventing relative rotation includes a lug on said tubing section disposed in a'vertical slot in said tubing catcher body. 6. A tubing catching apparatus according to claim 2 including spring means interconnecting said tubing sec` tion and said inertia member for biasing said inertia member upwardly relative to said tubing section.

References Cited inthe lile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,582,200 Watson Q Apr. 27, l926 1,629,262 Dillon May 17, 1927 1,640,756 Dillon Aug. 30,` 1927 1,667,733 Leonard May l,-y 1928 2,127,900

Avork Aug. 23', 1938 spirit lof ,the inventiorias deguides, jaws: movable therebetween, Vsaid inertia member comprising aV Y relatively heavy mass guided solely by said tubing sec#l 

